Winter Sports

Playoff Picture: Girls Basketball (Jan. 23)

(Jan. 23) With the first tournament games scheduled to start in less than a month, it's time to start discussing the basketball postseason.  There's still a long way to go, but with most teams having past, or about to pass, the midway point in their season, the playoff picture is already starting to

Joe Marchilena

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Playoff Picture: Girls Basketball (Jan. 23)

With the first tournament games scheduled to start in less than a month, it's time to start discussing the basketball postseason.

There's still a long way to go, but with most teams having past, or about to pass, the midway point in their season, the playoff picture is already starting to develop.

Here’s a look at what the tournament field for all four divisions of girls basketball would look like if the postseason were to begin today.

Note: With the NHIAA’s 70-percent rule in place for the postseason, Division I and IV will have 16 teams and Division II and III will have 14 teams in the playoffs. Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official. 

Division I

Team (record, rating)

  1. Concord Christian (9-0, 4.0000)
  2. Portsmouth (8-1, 3.5556)
  3. Bedford (7-1, 3.5000)
  4. Nashua South (7-1, 3.5000)
  5. Londonderry (7-1, 3.5000)
  6. Nashua North (5-2, 2.8571)
  7. Timberlane (7-3, 2.8000)
  8. Windham (6-3, 2.6667)
  9. Exeter (5-3, 2.5000)
  10. Salem (5-3, 2.5000)
  11. Trinity (5-3, 2.5000)
  12. Keene (5-3, 2.5000)
  13. Manchester Central-West (5-4, 2.2222)
  14. Bishop Guertin (4-4, 2.0000)
  15. Pinkerton (5-5, 2.0000)
  16. Goffstown (2-6, 1.0000)

Outside: Merrimack (1-7, 0.5000); Alvirne (1-7, 0.5000); Winnacunnet (1-7, 0.5000); Manchester Memorial (1-8, 0.4444); Spaulding (1-8, 0.4444); Concord (0-8, 0.0000); Dover (0-9, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • In a three-way tiebreaker, Bedford (4.0000), Nashua South (3.4289) and Londonderry (3.0000) finish in that order thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • In a four-way tiebreaker, Exeter (2.0000) and Salem (1.6000) finish ahead of Trinity (1.0000) and Keene (1.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament team.
  • Trinity (0.8571) finishes ahead of Keene (0.4000) thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Bishop Guertin wins the tiebreaker with Pinkerton thanks to a head-to-head victory.

First-round Matchups

  • No. 16 Goffstown at No. 1 Concord Christian
  • No. 9 Exeter at No. 8 Windham
  • No. 12 Keene at No. 5 Londonderry
  • No. 13 Manchester Central-West at No. 4 Nashua South
  • No. 15 Pinkerton at No. 2 Portsmouth
  • No. 10 Salem at No. 7 Timberlane
  • No. 14 Bishop Guertin at No. 3 Bedford
  • No. 11 Trinity at No. 6 Nashua North

Playoff Schedule

  • Preliminary Round: March 2, at higher seed.
  • Quarterfinals: March 5, at higher seed.
  • Semifinals: March 9, TBD.
  • Final: March 14, at UNH.

Division II

Team (record, rating)

  1. Pembroke (7-0, 4.0000)
  2. Merrimack Valley (7-0, 4.0000)
  3. Derryfield (7-1, 3.5000)
  4. Bow (6-1, 3.4286)
  5. Pelham (6-1, 3.4286)
  6. Coe-Brown (7-2, 3.2222)
  7. Oyster River (5-3, 2.5000)
  8. Souhegan (5-3, 2.5000)
  9. Hollis Brookline (4-4, 2.0000)
  10. Plymouth (4-4, 2.0000)
  11. Sanborn (3-4, 1.7143)
  12. Kingswood (3-5, 1.5000)
  13. Milford (2-4, 1.3333)
  14. Laconia (2-5, 1.1429)

Outside: Hanover (2-5, 1.1429); Lebanon (2-5, 1.1429); ConVal (1-6), 0.5714); John Stark (0-7, 0.0000); Kennett (0-7, 0.0000); Bishop Brady (0-8, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Pembroke (0.4857) wins the tiebreaker with Merrimack Valley (0.3600) thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Bow (3.3333) wins the tiebreaker with Pelham (3.2000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Oyster River (2.4000) wins the tiebreaker with Souhegan (2.2857) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Hollis Brookline wins the tiebreaker with Plymouth thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • In a three-way tiebreaker, Laconia (1.1429) and Hanover (1.1429) finish ahead of Lebanon (0.6667) thanks to better rating against tournament teams. Laconia (0.3077) wins the tiebreaker with Han0ver (0.1818) thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.

First-round byes

  • No. 1 Pembroke
  • No. 2 Merrimack Valley

First-round matchups

  • No. 9 Hollis Brookline at No. 8 Souhegan
  • No. 12 Kingswood at No. 5 Pelham
  • No. 13 Milford at No. 4 Bow
  • No. 10 Plymouth at No. 7 Oyster River
  • No. 14 Laconia at No. 3 Derryfield
  • No. 11 Sanborn at No. 6 Coe-Brown

Playoff Schedule

  • Preliminary Round: March 4, at higher seed.
  • Quarterfinals: March 7, at higher seed.
  • Semifinals: March 11, TBD.
  • Final: March 14, at UNH.

Division III

Team (record, rating)

  1. Prospect Mountain (8-0, 4.0000)
  2. Fall Mountain (8-0, 4.0000)
  3. St. Thomas (9-0, 4.0000)
  4. Berlin (9-2, 3.4545)
  5. Gilford (8-2, 3.2000)
  6. Monadnock (8-2, 3.2000)
  7. Hopkinton (7-3, 2.8000)
  8. White Mountains (7-4, 2.5455)
  9. Kearsarge (7-4, 2.5455)
  10. Mascoma Valley (5-3, 2.5000)
  11. Belmont (5-4, 2.2222)
  12. Raymond (5-4, 2.2222)
  13. Stevens (4-6, 1.6000)
  14. Campbell (3-7, 1.2000)

Outside: Newport (2-6, 1.0000); Inter-Lakes (1-8, 0.4444); Winnisquam (1-9, 0.4000); Conant (1-9, 0.4000); Newfound (1-9, 0.4000); Somersworth (0-8, 0.0000); Hillsboro-Deering (0-9, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • In a three-way tiebreaker, Prospect Mountain (0.2778), Fall Mountain (0.2759) and St. Thomas (0.0952) finish in that order thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.
  • Gilford wins the tiebreaker with Monadnock thanks to a head-to-head victory.
  • White Mountains (4.0000) wins the tiebreaker with Kearsarge (2.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
  • Belmont (1.3333) wins the tiebreaker with Raymond (0.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round byes

  • No. 1 Prospect Mountain
  • No. 2 Fall Mountain

First-round matchups

  • No. 9 Kearsarge at No. 8 White Mountains
  • No. 12 Raymond at No. 5 Gilford
  • No. 13 Stevens at No. 4 Berlin
  • No. 10 Mascoma Valley at No. 7 Hopkinton
  • No. 14 Campbell at No. 3 St. Thomas
  • No. 11 Belmont at No. 6 Monadnock

Playoff Schedule

  • Preliminary Round: Feb. 18, at higher seed.
  • Quarterfinals: Feb. 21, at higher seed.
  • Semifinals: Feb. 25, at Bow High School.
  • Final: Feb. 28, at Keene State College.

Division IV

Team (record, rating)

  1. Colebrook (9-0, 4.1111)
  2. Littleton (9-1, 3.8000)
  3. Newmarket (10-1, 3.7273)
  4. Groveton (9-1, 3.7000)
  5. Farmington (9-1, 3.6000)
  6. Holy Family (7-2, 3.1111)
  7. Mount Royal (8-3, 2.9091)
  8. Woodsville (7-3, 2.8000)
  9. Nute (7-4, 2.5455)
  10. Pittsburg-Canaan (6-4, 2.4000)
  11. Portsmouth Christian (5-5, 2.1000)
  12. Mascenic (5-5, 2.0000)
  13. Moultonborough (4-6, 1.7000)
  14. Pittsfield (4-6, 1.6000)
  15. Lisbon (3-6, 1.3333)
  16. Sunapee (3-6, 1.3333)

Outside: Gorham (3-8, 1.0909); Wilton-Lyndeborough (3-8, 1.0909); Profile (2-7, 0.8889); Hinsdale (1-6, 0.5714); Lin-Wood (0-9, 0.0000); Epping (0-9, 0.0000); Franklin (0-12, 0.0000).

Tiebreakers

  • Lisbon (0.5714) wins the tiebreaker with Sunapee (0.0000) thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.

First-round matchups

  • No. 16 Sunapee at No. 1 Colebrook
  • No. 9 Nute at No. 8 Woodsville
  • No. 12 Mascenic at No. 5 Farmington
  • No. 13 Moultonborough at No. 4 Groveton
  • No. 15 Lisbon at No. 2 Littleton
  • No. 10 Pittsburg-Canaan at No. 7 Mount Royal
  • No. 14 Pittsfield at No. 3 Newmarket
  • No. 11 Portsmouth Christian at No. 6 Holy Family

Playoff Schedule

  • Preliminary Round: Feb. 24, at higher seed.
  • Quarterfinals: Feb. 27, at higher seed.
  • Semifinals: March 3, at TBD.
  • Final: March 7, at Colby Sawyer College.

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